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Saturday, March 31, 2001
34 suspected drug dealers arrested
Roundup follows 8 months of undercover work by local, federal officers
By Lety Laurel
Caller-Times
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| David Pellerin/Caller-Times |
| Police Chief Pete Alvarez (left) and DEA resident agent-in-charge Edward Childress talk with reporters about the undercover work that led to the arrest of 34 suspected drug dealers and warrants for the arrest of 15 others. |
Eight months of undercover police work led to the arrest of 34 suspected drug offenders Thursday, and most of those arrested are accused of committing offenses within 1,000 feet of schools.
Twenty-three suspected street level dealers were arrested around nine area schools during a police round-up that began Thursday afternoon. Eleven others also were arrested and police have warrants for the arrest of 15 more who remained at large Friday.
The Corpus Christi Police Department, with help from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service, conducted the sweep, which included 63 warrants involving 49 suspects.
Police said they began investigating the suspects months ago.
While most of the suspects are accused of dealing cocaine and crack, offenses also included distribution of marijuana and methamphetamines, Police Chief Pete Alvarez said.
"There's a market out there," he said. "They know there are a lot of kids who will buy that stuff."
When suspected drug dealers are caught within 1,000 feet of a school, the punishment can be increased from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony, Alvarez said.
Shirley Jackson, who lives across from a school, said she was surprised arrests were made on suspicion of drug dealing in her neighborhood.
"I didn't know of any problems," she said. "I don't see it. The kids, if they do it, they don't want me to see them smoking. I guess they respect me."
Brian Uhler, commander for the special services division, said targeting street dealers, especially those around schools, is important even if it isn't getting to the main source of the drugs.
"The impact is more visible when you focus on street level dealers," he said. "If you have a street dealer living close to you, you are affected the most because people attracted to drug houses are undesirable. They are likely to commit other types of crimes as well."
Edward Childress, DEA resident agent-in-charge, said the roundup was successful, although 15 individuals have yet to be arrested.
"It's very seldom we meet 100 percent of the objective," he said, "but we're going to continue on until we meet that objective."
Uhler said he hopes the roundup will create a disruption in the city's drug distribution system.
"Perhaps if it is harder to obtain, there will be less available on the street," he said. "Unfortunately a side effect is that other people will usually try to take the place for these that are arrested, but it takes a while to fill their spots."
Staff writer Lety Laurel can be reached at _886-3716 or by e-mail at laurell@caller.com
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a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.
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